


You and Me and Everything in Between

by popstar_momo



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Alternate Universe - Office, Childhood Friends, F/F, Mutual Pining, Rating May Change, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2019-07-01
Packaged: 2020-06-02 06:58:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19436287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/popstar_momo/pseuds/popstar_momo
Summary: Sana and Momo used to be joined at the hip as kids. But after a certain incident on the playground lead to a misunderstanding right before Sana's family moved away, they fell out of touch and drifted apart. But that's the thing about fate—it twists and pulls, it plays with the odds, sometimes it makes the unthinkable happen. And that's what 23-year-old Sana comes to realize when Hirai Momo not only turns out to be her neighbor but also an assistant manager at the company Sana just got accepted in.





	You and Me and Everything in Between

After one perfect Sunday afternoon spent out with friends—celebrating with spicy chicken wings, beer, and karaoke—Sana feels light on her feet as she makes her way home, down the boulevard. There’s a bounce in her steps that gives away all the excitement bubbled up inside of her.

There’s just so much to happy about—so much to look forward to in the weeks to come.

A new apartment, a new job.

A brand new beginning she worked so hard to earn.

Sana smiles proudly to herself as she slides her hands into the pockets of her coat.

She takes a deep breath, welcoming in the cool late evening air.

At this hour, the Gangnam District is alive with glowing neon lights; its towering buildings rising high and effervescent against the clear night sky, with blinking electric signs, brightly colored billboards and advertisements, all lit up so and bathing the street in an artificial glow.

She slowly comes to a halt at the crosswalk.

Waiting for the signal to change, her wandering gaze catches on the side profile of a girl inside the convenience store behind her.

Sana can see through the glass, how the girl stifles a yawn with the back of her hand, in a languid motion. There is something entirely effortless about her—just a casual confidence that somehow makes her seem detached from the rest of the world, completely unbothered.

She's wearing a bucket hat low over her eyes so Sana can’t exactly see much of her face, but _something_ about her feels so strangely familiar that Sana is momentarily gripped by an odd sense of nostalgia. She can’t explain it, really, but she feels this strange pull as if the two of them are connected by some invisible string. It feels like the striking of a match—something sharp and igniting and bright in her chest.

It holds her spellbound.

Then the light turns green, and Sana blinks out of her daze as she’s swept across the street by a tide of people.

Everything shifts back into the speed of the present and she feels reality seeping back in around her.

The phone suddenly buzzes in her pocket, and it startles her a little.

But she finds herself smiling once she takes a look at the KakaoTalk notification lit up on the screen.

**[pm8:52] Mina** : I'm not sure if we'll run into each other tomorrow so

 **[pm8:52] Mina** : Just wanted to wish you good luck. I have faith in you

 **[pm8:52] Mina** : _Hwaiting!_

 **[pm8:53] Sana** : Thank you Minari!!!

 **[pm8:53] Sana** : What if I drop by on my lunch break ? We can eat together

 **[pm8:53] Mina** : That really depends more on my boss' schedule than mine

 **[pm8:53] Mina** : But we'll see

 **[pm8:53] Sana** : Do you really have to bend to God Jihyo's will 24/7

 **[pm8:54] Mina:** She's not that bad...

 **[pm8:54] Mina:** Anyway. Make sure you have a good night's rest, okay? 

**[pm8:54] Sana** : You too <3 Good Night !!

She goes through a few unread emails before she thumbs off the screen and tucks her phone away.

She pats her pockets down for the keycard while she's at it but no luck.

When she reaches the entrance of her apartment building, it takes a minute or two of rummaging through her purse until she finally finds it.

A siren wails in the distance, bleeding into the sounds of the city as it gets further away.

Sana thinks she hears someone call her name but she only pays it mind when she hears it a second time.

“Sana?”

She turns her head and she's greeted by the sight of the girl from the convenience store.

Sana blinks, confused. “Do I know you?”

Her eyes sweep over the length of this girl—slowly taking in every detail—from the fuzzy sandals, to the plastic bag dangling in her hand, the white adidas tracksuit and the bucket hat obscuring half of her face.

There is a sudden flutter of anticipation that goes through her then, as she watches the girl step closer.

Sana hears her say, “It’s me.”

And there’s this breathy chuckle that follows—a giddy cocktail of amusement and disbelief—that makes a tingle trickle down Sana’s spine.

As the girl takes her hat off and runs a hand through her hair to let their eyes meet under the glow of the street lights, Sana bites back a gasp.

A sharp intake of breath, wrapped up in four delicate letters.

“Momo…”

A gentle silence descends upon them as they stand there, just staring at each other as if suspended in time.

There are no clocks ticking in the world and the only sounds for the longest time are those of the city.

Sana blinks, opens her mouth to say something but no words come out.

Her mind is muddled and blurry. Her thoughts tripping over themselves while she tries to force her brain to catch up.

Haphazard memories like dusty souvenirs whirling around a tornado of questions in her head: _why—how—when—_

“What—what are you doing here?”

Momo smiles. “I live here.”

“You live here…” Sana repeats, if only to make it easier for her to process the information and all that's happening right now.

She doesn’t know what kind of look must be on her face but Momo is watching her with her head slightly tilted to the side and an amused little twinkle in her eyes.

“Okay...” Sana mutters simply, “Bye.”

And before common sense could step in and give her a chance to behave like a normal person with basic manners, she quickly unlocks the door and rushes inside the building.

She calls down the elevator with absolute desperation, but Momo catches up to her just as the doors are about to slide shut.

Sana watches her stumble inside in a fit of giggles. “Whoa, easy there, neighbor! What’s the rush?”

And Sana is this close to throwing a fit right then and there—she can feel the irritation simmering closer and closer to a boil—because, really, how dare Momo act like everything is fine and peachy? Does she think they are somehow still the best of friends as if no time has passed at all?

_Does she not remember what she did?!_

Ugh.

 _Just ignore her_ , Sana tells herself. This is a huge building after all, it’s unlikely that they’ll bump into each other that often anyway.

It’s okay. Just a minor inconvenience, no big deal.

Except the odds are clearly not in her favor, and Sana realizes this when she and Momo reach out to press the exact same floor number.

Their hands brush—just a slight contact of fingers and sleeves—but it jolts Sana like an electric shock.

She quickly pulls her arm back and curls her toes inside her boots, trying to calm the odd stutter in her chest.

She draws in a breath, tapping her fingers against the side of her thigh as she watches the numbers go up. Every part of her tingles with a kind of inexplicable, nervous energy while they share the squared space, less than an arm’s length away from each other. She can feel Momo’s gaze on the side of her face but neither of them say anything and it’s honestly a whole lot of awkward, even after they step out in the hallway.

“So…I guess, I’ll see you around?”

She hears Momo ask—somewhat timid, hesitant—but Sana only gives a half-hearted nod as she types in the code to her apartment and slips inside.

Locking the door behind her, she leans back against it with a groan.

She wishes desperately for the ground to swell up and swallow her whole.

_If only._

Sana sighs in defeat.

She doesn’t even bother with a light switch before she shrugs off her coat and goes to pour herself a glass of water.

She lets her eyes wander around the apartment. Still so obviously new. Every single detail and piece of furniture speaks of luxury but no personal touch. Aesthetically pleasing, really, but somehow cold in its tranquility.

She takes a seat in one of the leather chairs, resting her palms against the cushioned arms.

She can see the spiky outline of the Gangnam district through the floor-to-ceiling windows, all twinkling lights and staggering scale.

It’s beautiful, and Sana aches with the sight of it, the grip of nostalgia still tight and heavy around her heart.

She draws in a long, soothing breath, and she feels the full weight of the silence press down on her. 

Her thoughts are left buzzing around inside her head like frantic fireflies in a jar.

_Why is this happening?_

_Why now?_

When she closes her eyes, for one brief and surreal moment, she’s eight years old and back in Japan, clinging to Momo’s hoodie as she bikes them across town. Sana can feel the wind on her face and the way her twin-tails sway with the summer breeze.

She can hear the way Momo laughs, warm and golden in the afternoon sun.

She can hear herself ask, ‘ _Which one do you want?’_

And she’s nine years old, standing on her tiptoes to reach the buttons of the claw machine in front of her. She sees the multicolored lights reflected in Momo’s eager eyes as she points to a Shiba Inu plushie. It takes several tries and all of Sana's lunch money but no regrets, if only for how Momo holds the prize so tight and close to her chest, and the way her whole face lights up when she says, ‘ _It looks just like Sana-chan!’_

That memory, like many others, becomes a muted snapshot, etched behind her eyelids.

There’s no motion, no smells, no sounds—it all scatters and drifts away like a dandelion in the wind when she opens her eyes.

Sana can feel her heart squeezing painfully with each beat, her eyes welling up a little.

All these snippets of memories dismantle and hang in the air, like particles of dust—a trail that in the end leads her to **that day.**

Sana recalls the way she was hugging her scraped knees close to her chest after tripping over her own feet.

She was crying so hard over the stupid Barbie doll that lost its head. It seemed like the biggest tragedy in the world to her ten-year-old mind.

She remembers Momo trying to calm her down, telling her something, but Sana couldn’t hear a thing over the loud sobbing.

She has no idea how long it lasted, but when she had finally looked up, she was alone.

And Momo was gone.

But none of that matters now, Sana reminds herself. She has other—much more important—things to focus on.

There's no point in dwelling on the past. Tomorrow is her first day of work. She should get some rest.

_Of course it’s easier said than done_ , she thinks, frustrated, as she lies awake in bed one hour later.

She fluffs the pillow a couple of times and changes positions, still unable to sleep.

She rolls onto her side to plug in her phone to charge then prowls through Instagram and Twitter for a while.

Her eyelids grow heavy and start to droop sometime after midnight. The rear light of consciousness, like the last express train, begins to fade into the distance, gradually growing smaller until it’s finally sucked into the depths of the night.

Sana dreams of _Tanabata_ , fireworks and the comforting warmth of Momo’s hand in hers.

Monday morning finds Sana standing on the sidewalk in front of her new workplace.

She tilts her chin upward, staring at the glassy building piercing the sky and blocking out the sunlight.

A cool breeze touches her cheeks and jolts her completely awake.

“Okay,” she tells herself. “This is it.”

**TDOONG Entertainment.**

One of the largest and most prestigious entertainment companies in all of South Korea.

Nervous excitement stirs in the pit of her stomach and the tips of her fingers as she smoothens down the material of her light pink suit, down the sleeves and around the waist. All set and ready to go. She draws in a steadying breath and steps forward.

The doors slide open, revealing the elegant space of the reception—all clean lines and immaculate glass.

Sana can’t help but appreciate the tasteful design as she makes her way to the front desk.

She is told to take a seat and wait for a little bit, that someone should be with her shortly to show her around.

Sana does as she’s told, though staying put isn’t exactly her strongest suit, and it shows in the way her leg keeps on bobbing.

She checks her phone again, almost compulsive in the way she constantly looks at the time.

“Minatozaki Sana?”

Sana looks up, greeted by the sight of woman in a turquoise suit striding in her direction with confident steps.

“Did you wait long? I’m sorry about that.”

“No, no, it’s fine! I didn’t mind,” Sana blurts out, quickly standing up to offer a polite bow.

“That’s good to hear.” The woman reaches out for a handshake and the first thing Sana notices is the cute bunny-toothed smile and the lingering scent of expensive perfume. “Im Nayeon. Team Manager. Pleased to meet you.”

Sana nods in agreement and reciprocates with a smile, “Likewise.”

“Now, see, the thing is, usually this is done by my assistant but she’s running a bit late this morning and I only got her text minutes ago, so—actually, you know what? Never mind. We’re wasting time here. Shall we?”

Nayeon gestures in the general direction to her left and Sana follows her lead across the length of a hallway.

The echoing clack of their heels against the polished floor is only matched in volume by the resonating sound of Nayeon’s voice as she briefly explains everything Sana needs to know about this particular department within the company.

Sana struggles a little to keep up with the fast pace and listen at the same time, while also stealing a few curious glances around.

“You’ll love it here,” Nayeon promises. “I can tell just from taking one good look at you that you are a people person so I have no doubt that you’ll get along with everyone just fine. Trust me. I’m telling you, if there is one thing you should know about me upfront is that I am always right. Except from when I’m wrong. But we don’t talk about that.” She stops and whirls around to point a finger in Sana’s face. “And if you happen to see a stuck-up named Jeongyeon—” She rolls her eyes to emphasize the annoyance in her tone. “ **Don’t** ever tell her I admitted to being wrong _sometimes_ or I’ll never hear the end of it. Okay?” Sana nods, because what else is she supposed to do? Then Nayeon takes a step back and slams her hands on her hips, apparently pleased with herself. She nods, too. “Good. Now, take a deep breath. We’re here.”

Sana doesn’t really get a chance to catch her breath before Nayeon pushes the door open and strides inside.

“Good morning, everyone! I want you to give a warm welcome to your new teammate: Minatozaki Sana!”

Three girls stand up from behind their desks to clap and bow in unison, and Sana returns the gesture with a smile.

She introduces herself to all of them, in turn, starting with the girl in a leather jacket: Chaeyoung.

Then the girl with fair skin: Dahyun.

And finally, the tall girl with an almost intimidating model-like beauty: Tzuyu.

“Well, then!” Nayeon claps her hands together after checking her wristwatch. “I have to get going, but your team leader should be here any minute now, so—oh! That’s right, Sana-sshi.” She holds a finger up then she fishes something out from the inside pocket of her blazer. “I forgot to give this to you earlier. Here.” She nods at the work ID she’s holding up by its blue lanyard and Sana accepts it with an excited ‘thank you!’

Cursed be her clumsy nature that makes the thing slip right between her trembling fingers.

Sana lets out a sheepish laugh then bends down to pick it up just as someone barges in through the door.

“Sorry I’m late!”

_That soft, nasal voice…_ Sana thinks. _It can’t be…_

As she looks up, in what feels like slow motion, she catches a glimpse of toned legs... leather pencil skirt...

A tucked-in striped shirt unbuttoned at the collar just enough to reveal attractive collarbones…and then...

“Momo-sunbae-nim!”

One of the girls behind Sana announces excitedly—Dahyun, was it? Maybe? No idea.

Sana can’t think straight right now as she meets Momo’s eyes, her shocked expression mirroring her own.

The universe must really, _really_ hate her.


End file.
